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Opioid use reduction coincides with puzzling cholesterol drug increase
By Stephanie Goldberg
Workers comp professionals are likely celebrating a reported decrease in opioid utilization while simultaneously scratching their heads over a reported increase in the use of high blood cholesterol drugs.
In its 2015 Workers' Compensation Drug Trend Report, released Tuesday, pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts Inc. said opioids had a 10.9% decrease in utilization.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and anticonvulsants, on the other hand, saw 1.4% and 3% increases in utilization last year, respectively, according to Express Scripts' report.
While drug formularies, prescription drug monitoring programs and other efforts are driving the decline in opioid utilization, there is likely some correlation between that decrease and the uptick in NSAIDs like Ibuprofen and anticonvulsants like Lyrica, said Mark Pew, senior vice president at Duluth, Georgia-based medical management company Prium.
“The evidence is clear that for anything related to musculoskeletal pain during the acute and subacute phase,” NSAIDs are a more “appropriate treatment than opioids,” Mr. Pew said. But no drug is risk-free, he added, as the long-term use of NSAIDs can cause kidney or liver issues.
The utilization of NSAIDs and anticonvulsants for appropriate patients will likely continue to increase “as there's more scrutiny on opioid prescribing,” said Brigette Nelson, senior vice president of workers compensation clinical management at Express Scripts in Cave Creek, arizona.
COnt http://www.businessinsurance.com/ar...s-with-puzzling-cholesterol-drug?tags=|92|304
By Stephanie Goldberg
Workers comp professionals are likely celebrating a reported decrease in opioid utilization while simultaneously scratching their heads over a reported increase in the use of high blood cholesterol drugs.
In its 2015 Workers' Compensation Drug Trend Report, released Tuesday, pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts Inc. said opioids had a 10.9% decrease in utilization.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and anticonvulsants, on the other hand, saw 1.4% and 3% increases in utilization last year, respectively, according to Express Scripts' report.
While drug formularies, prescription drug monitoring programs and other efforts are driving the decline in opioid utilization, there is likely some correlation between that decrease and the uptick in NSAIDs like Ibuprofen and anticonvulsants like Lyrica, said Mark Pew, senior vice president at Duluth, Georgia-based medical management company Prium.
“The evidence is clear that for anything related to musculoskeletal pain during the acute and subacute phase,” NSAIDs are a more “appropriate treatment than opioids,” Mr. Pew said. But no drug is risk-free, he added, as the long-term use of NSAIDs can cause kidney or liver issues.
The utilization of NSAIDs and anticonvulsants for appropriate patients will likely continue to increase “as there's more scrutiny on opioid prescribing,” said Brigette Nelson, senior vice president of workers compensation clinical management at Express Scripts in Cave Creek, arizona.
COnt http://www.businessinsurance.com/ar...s-with-puzzling-cholesterol-drug?tags=|92|304
